A family torn apart by a senseless killing five years ago are still struggling to put the tragedy behind them.

Psychiatric patient Karl Edgley, who fatally stabbed young Basildon dad Paul Smith, has been locked away indefinitely after finally being declared fit to plead.

The Old Bailey heard he knifed Paul in October, 1994, because he wanted to bring about the second coming of Christ.

The 34-year-old, formerly of North Crockerford, Basildon, had a master plan to kill 16 people as part of his bizarre vision.

He admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and causing actual bodily harm.

No evidence was offered on a charge, which Edgley denied, of attempting to murder Daniel Wills, 28, who escaped serious injury after being stabbed by Edgley on the same day.

Judge Geoffrey Grigson decided to detain him at top security hospital Rampton under the Mental Health Act after hearing about Edgley's paranoid schizophrenia.

He added: "It's plain these offences arose from your illness."

Since Paul's death, aged 20, the Smith family have faced fresh trauma.

Paul's brother Gavin, also 20, turned to heroin to cope with the loss and is still addicted to the killer drug.

He said: "It makes me forget about my problems. It was like pain relief after my brother died."

There is also the heartbreak of making Paul's son Jake, now seven, understand what happened to "daddy".

Jeffrey said: "He's well aware Paul is dead and goes to the grave quite regularly. As he gets older it will be explained to him exactly."

Commenting on the decision to detain Edgley indefinitely, Jeffrey said: "We were worried he would only get five years and then be released because he has served that time already. Then, we really would have had something to say."

Paul was on his way to buy shoes for Jake, then aged two, when Edgley attacked him in Basildon town centre.

He had previously stabbed Mr Wills on the 151 Thamesway bus from Pitsea to Basildon.

Half an hour later, witness Craig Clark was walking along Long Riding in Basildon when he heard a scream and saw Edgley with Paul.

Prosecutor Simon Spence said: "He saw two men facing each other. One of the men ran off down the road, and Mr Clark noticed a dark patch on the victim's left side, just below the rib cage where he was bleeding.

Paul ran into a nearby house for safety but collapsed and died at Basildon Hospital five hours later from a stab wound to the heart.

(Right) Victim - young dad Paul Smith

Deranged - Karl Edgley tried to bring about the second coming of Christ

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